the economy is growing at half or so. , allost-world war ii rate the problems with the lack of people who are working over the last six years, we still have not caught up to where we were in the number of americans employed. long-term unemployment is growing. income inequality is growing. we do not have a modern system. very few people line up at american consulates to come to american elementary and high schools. lots of things are wrong and my argument is severalfold. he cannot set an example that the other world wants to emulate so we lose the struggle of the competition of ideas. unless we get these things right, we are not going to have the resources to be a great power and lead the world. if there is no alternative to a world led by the united states, than what matters is the ability of the united states to act in the world and to play a large role. this becomes an academic opposition. unless we put our economic and political house in order, we are not going to have that capacity. my argument is not that we overdo these things to make it a better society to the 300 million ameri